Ch. 3: Trapped In Hell

Natalie and Stephanie sprang up at once. As Oscar jammed the door behind him, he moved forward, fixing a fierce stare at Natalie who was drawn to tears. If he heard everything, then she is dead.

"Hey, honey! Why are you on edge? Is this how you welcome your husband home after such a long day? I can see your friend kept you company, possibly the reason why you didn't miss me." Oscar's sudden softness was another shock to them.

Natalie opened her mouth, clamped it and moped at him. What was that? She could swear that he was angry and terrifying just now, but his features softened swiftly as if he wasn't the same man that just yelled at her. 

If he heard their conversation and decided to keep quiet, it must be because of Stephanie's presence. That is to say that it isn't over yet. 

When Stephanie leaves, she will face her punishment, but now, they have to deceive someone, probably unknown to him, already knows the truth, though not the whole truth about their marriage.

"I… We were just surprised. I didn't hear your car horn or any noise that usually indicates that you are home." She stuttered as she cleared her throat and went to hug him. "I'm glad to have you home, honey." 

She expected him to kiss her or at least give her a peck on the cheek for the show, but he didn't. He only rubbed his thumb on her lips, and tapped her chin fondly, while smiling fauxly. She wouldn't have enjoyed his kiss anyway, so that's a good thing.

"Happy to see you, Oscar. I beg to take my leave, Natalie. I will call you." Stephanie forced a smile to her face, it didn't help because it rather made her look funny. "Bye, Oscar!" She grabbed her bag and left.

"Let me get your briefcase…" She reached to take the briefcase he placed on the table, but he pushed her hand away and lifted it. "Oh, sorry." 

"What did you two talk about?" He asked, clasping her shoulder.

"You know…girl's stuff." She waved off as she tried to get away, but he pressed on her shoulder to keep her still. She knew that this was unavoidable and he was hurting her.

"You know better than to lie to me, Natalie. In case you forgot, I have eyes watching you." He smiled with malicious satisfaction when she winced.

"I am supposed to be your wife, not your slave, Oscar." She breathed, sniffing as tears filled her eyes.

"Maybe you are." He slapped her cheeks lightly, chuckling as a tear slid down her cheek. 

"Maybe," She used her index finger to wipe her tears. "Oh, the heat is unbearable! I hate summers if I can't get to at least camp, so I need to change because it's hot in here!" She shrugged his hand off and walked away.

"It's never hot here, but I like your flimsy excuse to get away. Know your place and know peace, Natalie Hills!" He smirked, retiring to his room.

A few minutes later, they sat in the dining room. The whole family dines in the same room. The men discuss business afterwards in the library while the women either choose to go inside and wait for their husband or stay at their own risk. 

That is to say that the first lady of the house, Angelika Georges, Oscar's mother feeds shit to the other ladies of the house, especially Natalie. She already got used to the woman breathing down her neck, accepting all maltreatment from both sides, but it was different that evening as Archer was invited to dine with the family.

Natalie has read the Georges family book and has witnessed some of the cultures that exist in the family. The family ever since existence has been living in their ancestral home, that is where the estate's foundation was rooted. 

They all have their separate castles, but the most outstanding was where the heir apparent to the wealth of the family is to live with his own family, and that is Oscar.

His grandparents were there. There are the seven wives of Oscar's father, their children and grandchildren, left for Archer's mother who is his mistress. So that makes Archer an illegitimate son that doesn't have any right to anything in the family according to the family book.

The family's custom and tradition which is what Natalie has spent some years of her life learning even before the marriage happened can't involve her except she bears Oscar a child.

Angelika doesn't hesitate to call her barren and rain abuses on her because of her inability to conceive, but she can't even defend herself and explain to them that it wasn't her fault since the exercise isn't possible with just herself.

Angelika doesn't know that her beloved son hasn't touched his wife for the past two years and that bothers her even more than it might bother Angelika. She didn't know if that was a good or bad thing.

Natalie felt Archer's eyes on her. That heated her cheeks and she deliberately looked up since he was seated opposite her. He already knew the position of her and her husband, and that made her wonder if he chose that position on purpose. 

She felt like crying, hauling, shoving, smashing, kicking or punching him. He is such a jerk and a coward. Why the hell did he come back again? And look at him. He looked drawn and haggard. 

Didn't he leave to escape from this family that doesn't care about anyone's feelings. All they all care about is who controls the wealth and they are interested in everything that goes on in that person's life.

He looked more mature now, unlike before when they were younger. He still has his good looks, and dresses like the very bad boy he is without caring about what the family actually allows. 

They don't care about him, has never cared, so his presence didn't change anything because they all don't seem to notice him the way that she does. She couldn't eat especially when their eyes met and it went damp between her thighs. 

Things have changed a lot. So they were on different grounds now, so she would be as selfish as the rest of the family if she expects anything from him again. He disappeared, and whatever his reason may be, she won't care.

She couldn't get anything down her throat, so she continued picking on the food, knowing that nobody, not even her so-called husband, would notice. They all make her sick and the one who has always warmed her heart and made her feel alive is sitting in front of her.

"Mrs Oscar IV, would you come to my graduation tomorrow? You have helped me a great deal on my assignments and I was hoping you'd come." 

He who would sit on the throne of the Georges as king always bore the same name of Oscar. It started from Oscar's great uncle, down to his grandfather and now him. That is to hold respect and honor, showing off that the person is the next in line.

The child who spoke was Julius, named after his father, Julius Georges, the son of Oscar's father's fifth wife. His mother, Jane, was one of the ladies who has shown Natalie great affection and that is why the boy always seeks to be with her. 

Natalie wished he hadn't said that because it made everyone look at her and she consciously felt Angelika's fixated gaze upon her. She smiled at the boy and told him that she would love to come if she was lucky that day.

"How does it feel to have another person's child invite you to their graduation ceremony when you don't have any?" Angelika asked harshly.

"Pardon?" Natalie looked up at her ever harsh mother in-law.

"If you are planning to remain like that, I would be forced to get my son another deserving and befitting wife. You are not that special, Natalie. I just want you to know that." Angelika slit Natalie's feelings as she shoved a sliced cheese into her mouth and chewed up.

It would be a great thing for Oscar to marry another woman, but seeing what she's going through, she wouldn't want another woman to suffer as much as she has been suffering.

"That is enough, mother." Oscar became the publicly affectionate, considerate and caring husband. He squeezed Natalie's hand.

She should feel safe and better, which is what women feel when their men stand for them, but she felt so insecure, embarrassment clouding her ever sad face. She lost her smile when the sunshine in her life left.

"That is the painful truth, son. Some people don't have shame in their lives, and that makes me feel responsible as the first lady. Take Archer for example. What does he have to show after trying to survive alone for so many years?" 

"Everyone knows that his shop was razed to dust by the bulldozers sent by the government. Cut the boy some slacks, he has been working hard and doing well on his own." Oscar's grandfather responded.

"Angelika is right. If he had stayed, he might have done better than to survive and be an embarrassment to this family. What would I say, he is a sperm that escaped Oscar by mistake, he would never be any good. He must've invited him to dine with us just to mock us." Oscar's grandmother, Elia, supported, glaring at her son.

"I invited him home, though indirectly." Oscar's sarcastic voice came in. "I need his potential, lest it wastes. I'm a generous man who doesn't hesitate to scout out potentiality when I recognize it." He added with pride.

Natalie's eyes met Archer's. He averted his eyes to look at the egocentric Oscar, then the two ladies. When his mother patted him on the back, he stood up and walked away.

Natalie craved to be with him, especially at that moment because he obviously needed compassion. She couldn't leave, not then that the whole family was watching.

Immediately the dinner was over, when her husband joined the other men in the library to discuss business as usual, she went to find Archer. She has a lot of questions to ask him, and he has to answer them all.